Postponing elections in South Kordofan a conspiracy between NCP & SPLM

Sudan
23 February 2010 (Miraya FM)

Mekki Ali Bilael, the Justice Party Mainstream candidate for Governorship of South Kordofan, has alleged that the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) have conspired to postpone elections in South Kordofan State. Bilael told Miraya FM that the NCP and SPLM want to continue ruling the State without any electoral legitimacy.

He said the postponement is an indication that the NCP is shaken and knows that they have little influence in South Kordofan. The lack of NCP presence in the State, Bilael further said, will result in few votes for the NCP in South Kordofan.

He added that the disputed census results will not impact the State’s elections. He assured that his party will find means to counter the decision but did not elaborate.

Earlier, the Presidency Council agreed on postponing elections in South Kordofan State for another census exercise to take place in the region. The council meeting also agreed on two seats for Abyei in the upcoming elections.

The Presidency Council meeting also agreed to allocate seats for southern Sudan in the National Assembly.

The Minster of Cabinet Affairs in the Government of Southern Sudan, Luka Biong, said the agreement was reached when resolving the issue of the fifth population census results in the South.

He pointed to the need of calling the parliament to rectify the electoral law.

Meanwhile, member of government delegation in Doha, Omer Adam, said that the issue of postponement of elections to give for the JEM participation is the concern of the National Elections Commission. He added that NEC is an independent body and makes its own decision independently from the parties.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Umma Party, Al Saddiq Al Mahdi, demanded the postponement of elections. He said during press conference that it is a chance to put-off the national barriers in the electoral process.

The Justice and Equality Movement had also requested the postponement of elections, pointing to special arrangement for Darfur which include the implementation of the power sharing agreement due to be signed on Tuesday.